Dry Clean Only labels

sarah-jane

VFG Member
Hello folks

Was wondering when the Dry Clean Only label started appearing...which I guess means I'm wondering when dry cleaning took off! I've had a coat for some long time now, which screams 40s from every seam - but has this label. Now I've found a dress that presents the same problem, surely 40s but was dry cleaning widespread back then?

I'd post photos, but the camera's bust. Would be interested to hear the earliest example you've found though, from both sides of the water (the coat is American, the dress British).

Thanks, as ever.

sarah-jane
 
Not British or American but in Australia, the dry clean only tags originate from the 1970s. I don't think I've seen any from an earlier era, regardless of the country of origin.

In my opinion, your coat and dress sound like '40s influenced styles from the early 1970s. They remade some really nice things then, into very convincing copies. They're some of my favourites because they have the earlier style but are more robust due to the modernity and fabrics.
 
There have been forms of dry cleaning since the mid 19th century (white gas and sand were used in the 1850s to clean silk) and modern dry cleaning using carbon tetrachloride has been common since the 1920s (different substances have been used to clean clothes since the 1980s because of the toxic nature and CFC's of carbon tetrachloride). I have seen dry clean only tags in clothes from perhaps as early as the early 60s but I think it was common knowledge that most crepe, satin, and taffetas in rayon or silk were not washable and had to be dry cleaned.
 
Thank you both. Nicole, I agree with you about '70s doing 40s' gear - great styling and bags of practicality. I had looked at both my coat and dress with a view to them being 70s, they just feel so different to the vast majority of my 70s stock...now I think that's because they are both top quality...maybe I've been handling too much polyester:wacko:

sarah-jane
 
In the US, permanent care labels became mandatory in 1972. Before that it was voluntary and as Jonathan said most consumers knew what needed to be dry cleaned.

In the 50s-60s easy care fabrics were a huge selling point so care instructions were often included on a printed hang tag but not a fixed label. These hang tags were discarded.

Melody
 
Agree with Jonathan & Nicole. The only thing I have to add is that dry cleaning used to be cheap and widely used.
I'll never forget the vintage newsreel I saw some years ago. It was from the 30s or 40s, touting the convenience of "waterless cleaning". They had filled a swimming pool with the chemicals and had a parade of fully dressed male & female models walk into and through the pool, coming out with their garments miraculously and instantly cleaned and sanitized.
:barf:
It gave me the same reaction as watching the unwitting citizens & servicemen of the 50s rubbernecking during the nuclear testing in Nevada.
 
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